Chapter62Ghosts

ATFIRSTSIGHTtheexterior1ofthehouseatAuteuilgavenoindicationsofsplendor2,nothingonewouldexpectfromthedestined3residenceofthemagnificentCountofMonteCristo;butthissimplicity4wasaccordingtothewillofitsmaster,whopositively5orderednothingtobealteredoutside.Thesplendorwaswithin.Indeed,almostbeforethedooropened,thescenechanged.M.Bertucciohadoutdonehimselfinthetastedisplayedinfurnishing,andintherapiditywithwhichitwasexecuted.ItistoldthattheDucdAntinremovedinasinglenightawholeavenueoftreesthatannoyedLouisXIV;inthreedaysM.Bertuccioplantedanentirely6barecourtwithpoplars,largespreadingsycamorestoshadethedifferentpartsofthehouse,andintheforeground,insteadoftheusualpaving-stones,halfhiddenbythegrass,thereextendedalawnbutthatmorninglaiddown,anduponwhichthewaterwasyetglistening7.Fortherest,theordershadbeenissuedbythecount;hehimselfhadgivenaplantoBertuccio,markingthespotwhereeachtreewastobeplanted,andtheshapeandextentofthelawnwhichwastotaketheplaceofthepaving-stones.Thusthehousehadbe